November 5, 2009 BY Kris
Many people dread mathematical problems from a very early age. Actually, courage has got nothing to do with it. Some people just happen to have low “mathematical intelligence”. However, there is always hope for these people. Using everyday situations, a person can substantially improve mathematical skills over time.
Everyday situations can also provide opportunities to practice math skills. For instance, instead of pulling out a calculator to make the monthly budget, a person could simply attempt to add up the amounts in the head, and later verify the result with a calculator. If a person solves problems on a daily basis in this manner, his mathematical intelligence will improve slowly.
The improvement of math skills also helps a person keep his brain healthy for a long time. Research has revealed that when a person attempts to solve numerical problems, the right hemisphere of his brain works hard, and consequently absorbs more nutrition. Over time, this can make the neural network healthier, thereby improving the intelligence of a person.
That’s not all. Absorption of nutrients will also make the brain perform well later in life. In short, this means that a person can stave off symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, simply by using his mind more often. It really does not get any simpler than this.
November 5, 2009 BY Kris
Your intelligence quotient (IQ) does not just depend on how much bookish knowledge you can stuff into your brain, and recall at will. It also applies to your ability to make creative or logical solutions to problems at hand, visualizing the solution as accurately as possible, before actually arriving at it.
Research indicates that a lot of people may actually have very high IQ, without even knowing it. An individual with an IQ of 140 would scientifically be considered to be a genius, even though he may have pretty low memory reserves. On the other hand, a person with an IQ less than 80 would be labeled as a fairly unintelligent individual, although he may be able to remember whatever dates of historical events he memorized in high school.
However, it is important to keep your IQ rating as high as possible. Research has revealed that people with high IQ ratings typically use their brains more often, and thus have healthy brains till late in life. Even ailments like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia seem to affect a relatively much smaller fraction of individuals who possess high IQ rating.
IQ can be improved by playing games such as chess, which require the player to visualize the result of a move before he actually makes it. Research conducted by various neuroscientists has indicated that even a few hours of chess in a week can help improve a person’s IQ to some extent. It will also help keep a person’s brain functioning properly during the later years of life.
November 5, 2009 BY Kris
Some people are gifted with good memory and reasoning skills which do not seem to deteriorate noticeably with age. However, that is not true for most individuals, who tend to lose both these abilities as they grow older. In order to prevent this, it is necessary to perform some amount of brain training exercises on a regular basis. These exercises are specially developed to keep the brain healthy and working efficiently all the way to a ripe old age.
Many organizations that carry out researches on human psychology design various brain training courses, or even video games to help in performing their researches. Some of the courses are specifically designed for improvement of particular brain functions. For instance, one course may simply be developed to help the user improve his/her memory, whereas another may be designed with improvement of logical reasoning skills in mind.
The courses often require significant amount of time and effort to prepare, and are consequently quite expensive. However, some websites, such as actibrain.com provide visitors with free brain training exercises. There are both regular tests and engaging games that help visitors to give their brains a good workout, possibly improving their brain power appreciably over time.
October 19, 2009 BY kris
Brain training done on a regular basis can reduce hyperactivity in kids who are suffering from Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), research proves. A recent research conducted by Karolinksa Institute, a Stockholm-based medical university, showed that training the working memory with brain training games and exercises helps improve concentration levels in kids.
The enhancement in working memory also makes the kid more confident about school work and thus improves success in school. What’s best is that the research has suggested that special type of video games may be the best way of carrying out this training. At least 80 percent of the kids who were part of the research participants showed significant improvement after playing the prescribed video games, one involving shooting down asteroids and the other, number recollection.
The parents of the kids also reported that they actually noticed their kids become more mature as the test sessions progressed. The kids were reportedly more disciplined, remembering to bring their stuff back from school, doing chores at home with minimal nagging, and taking care of personal hygiene without parental intervention.
Cogmed has developed brain training software for kids who suffer from ADD. Regular practice with these should be enough to help kids with this ailment to concentrate on their studies better.
October 19, 2009 BY kris
Having a blueberry smoothie with lots of fresh blueberries can help keep the brain working at peak efficiency throughout the day, research has revealed. The study, carried out by molecular nutritionist Dr Jeremy Spencer at the University of Reading, has revealed that the antioxidants contained in blueberries help maintain the blood flow to the brain, thereby keeping it healthy and operating efficiently even in the afternoon.
The study was carried out on a group of 40 students aged between 18 and 30 years. For one month, the participants were given one blueberry smoothie with their breakfast. Following that, they were asked to take various tests that measured their power of concentration throughout the day.
After one month, the same participants were asked to perform the activities as before, only this time they were served regular breakfasts. The result showed that when the participants took blueberry smoothies with breakfast, their concentration levels remained high all the way to the afternoon, but without it, their concentration dwindled in the afternoon.
Dr. Spencer commented that “the findings were impressive and have the potential in the long term to lead to cognitive improvement”, adding that the high level of antioxidants can indeed make a person’s brain healthier in the long run.
October 16, 2009 BY kris
Recent research conducted by a group of reputed neuroscientists has proved that brain waves can directly influence how a person behaves. The research revealed that people can be forced to move slower than usual by boosting a single type of brain wave. Peter Brown of University College London (UCL), one of the researchers, declared, “At last we have some direct experimental proof that brain waves influence behavior in humans, in this case how fast a movement is performed.”
The research involved injecting a low-voltage electrical current into a person’s brain through the scalp. The study involved 14 people and all of them were asked to manipulate the position of a dot of light on a screen as quickly as possible with a joystick, while the current was being applied. To their amazement, the scientists found that the application of current actually made the research subjects work slower (up to 10%).
The researchers now plan to carry out further research on the topic, to see whether they can find a potential cure for Parkinson’s disease, chorea, or dystonia.
October 15, 2009 BY kris
Brain training activities have always been known to help children improve their learning abilities and memory capacity. However, recent research using MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) of the brain has revealed that adults can benefit from brain training just the same. The research was aimed particularly at studying brain performance in senior citizens suffering from learning disabilities. It revealed that brain training, even when done for small intervals of time each day, can improve brain functions in the elderly. Memory capacities are noticeably improved and logical reasoning skills stay in good condition. Even the benefits gained from medication seemed to be improved to some extent.
Brain training involves various different exercises. Training the vocabulary through crossword puzzles and alphabetical puzzles helps keep the literary skills in good condition. Simple math exercises, like calculating the balance after a purchase made at a store keep mathematical skills working properly. Similarly, playing memory games can keep the memory reserves in good shape for longer. The best thing about brain training is that one needs not spend the entire day on it. Just 10 minutes a day are usually sufficient to reap the benefits.
